Several color lead holder pencil



Filed sept. 17, 194s C BERGONZO SEVERAL COLOR LEAD HOLDER PENCIL N ov. 21, 1950 Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEVERAL CLOR LEAD HOLDER PENCIL Charles Bergonzo, Moutier, Switzerland Application September 17, 1946, Serial No. 697,395 In Switzerland September 24, 1945 9 Claims.

' The present invention has for its object a several color lead holder pencil, in which the leads of each color are held in position for use by a common gripper, normally closed under the actionor" a spring which gives it a backward movement against which a button allows it to be shifted into another position, i. e. to open it.

In the pencil according to the invention, the various leads are diposed in longitudinal grooves of a cylindrical support, the axis of which is parallel but excentrical with that of the body of the lead holder pencil, so that owning to the rotative movement of the button which works the gripper it is possible to bring successively each lead into the axis of the lead holder, coinciding with a channel so that the lead falls into the opened gripper and is held there to be used for Writing. The annexed drawing shows an embodiment of the object of the invention, given by way of example, and another' improved construction.

Fig. l is a longitudinal axial cross section of the represented lead-holder pencil.

Fig. 2 shows a part of this same sectional view, but enlarged, with supplementary means constituting an improvement.

, Fig. 3 is a corresponding detail View.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on IV-IV of Fig. l.

Fig; 5 is a cross section on V-V of Fig.Y 1.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on VI-VI of Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is a cross section on VII-VII of Fig. 1. The multi-color lead holder pencil shown in the drawing consists` primarily of a sleeve I having anfouter hexagonal shape which ends at the lower end thereof in a cone shaped portion 2. Extending through the cone shaped' portion 2 is a small cylindrical bore which leads to another cylindrical bore of aV larger diameter than the rst mentioned bore, and extends through the entire upper portion of the sleeve.

Mounted inside the sleeve I is a tube 5 having a bore 8 which is eccentrically located with regard to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve l. This bore 8 communicates with a smaller bore 'I which is concentrically located with regard to the axis of the sleeve I. 1 is provided with a thread engaging a correspondingly threaded portion 'I of a gripper 3 adapted to grip and hold a lead. This gripper has a cone shaped portion which is usually engaged by the inner walls of the bore provided in the cone shaped portion 2 Vof sleeve I and having of a spring `li, the lower endl of which abuts` a The lower end of the bore 2 shoulder 2' provided in the sleeve I. Thus, it will be evident that the spring 6 continuouslyurges the tube 5 upwardly, thereby drawing the gripper 3 inwardly and forcing the cone shapedand split end of the gripper together so that it will rmly hold the lead.

On the other hand, if the tube is moved downwardly, the gripper 3 also moves down'- wardly so that it will protrude further from the cone shaped portion 2 of the sleeve I, thereby allowing the split end of the gripper by its own spring action to open so thatit will release the lead.

Grippers opening and closing in this manner are well known, and the gripper 3 itself does not form a part of this invention.

Rotatably mounted in the bore 8 is a holder 9 with four longitudinal radially extending ribs leaving therebetween grooves to receive four leads. These leads are kept imprisoned between the cylindrical: inner wall of the bore 8 and the four ribs. The profile of these parts appears clearly in the cross 'sectional' views of Figs. 6 and '7.

The functioning of the pencil is easy to understand, the accessory elements below described being simply destined to ensure a reliable working and an easy handling of the pencil according to the presentinvention.

Provided that a lead such as I0 of Fig. l is in each of the containers constituted by the grooves ofthe holder 9, it is easy to understand that by turning said holder, each of the leads may be brought one after the other into alignment with the axis of the channel 1, through which the lead can now freelyfall into the gripper 3 and com into the writing position I2.

It has already been set forth above how the gripper can be opened and closed by longitudinal displacement of tube l5, and now it will be described how the holder can be turned and finally how certain mistakes in handling, or accidents may be prevented.

First of all, the tube 5 must be prevented from turning, but without hindering it from sliding axially. This result is obtained by the cooperation of' pin I3 and of a corresponding longitudinal lateral groove I4 in the said tube 5.

Secondly, the tube must be able to be pushed forward and to make the holder 9 turn with the least possible means. This result is obtained by means of a plunger I5, which has a cavity I6 therein closed by a knob I'I forming the uppermost end of the lead holder pencil. The lower end vof the plunger I5 slidably engages a portion oi the upper end of sleeve I, and it will be obvious that by pressing upon the knob I'I, the plunger I5 will push the holder 5 downwardly, thereby causing the gripper 3 to open. The lower end of the plunger I5 is provided with inner teeth I8 meshing with the teeth I9 provided on the outside oi the upper end of the holder l9. Thus, byV

turning the plunger I5, the holder 9 may be turned so as to bring each of the longitudinal grooves in holder 9 into alignment with the bore 7.

However, since it is necessary, when turning the plunger I5 by means of knob I1, to be aware from the outside of the moment when a groove of the holder is in alignment with the channel 'I, the tube5 carries a ball 20, which a hat spring 2| tends to apply against the holder 9. Fig. 6 shows how the above mentioned elements constitute a kind of locking device destined to immobiiize the holder 9 in each of its four positions in which a lead may fall into the gripper. In order to prevent that by turning the pencil upside down the leads are jammed at the rear end of the holder or block the working of ball 20, the four ribs of the holder 9 are notched in order to receive a ring 22. which serves as an abutment for the leads.

To show the color of the lead. which the support is ready to drop into the writing position, the

plunger I5 has eight small'recesses 23 disposed yon its outside and adapted to register with a window 24 of sleeve I. The recesses contain colored Yplates which appear in turn at the window, and correspond to the color of the respective lead which in the respective position of the plunger I5 would be able to enter the gripper 3.

. In the specic example shown in the drawings, the relationship between the teeth I8 and the teeth I9 is such that one-eighth of a turn of the plunger I5 causes the holder 9 to rotate by twice the same angle, i. e., by 90. Thus, each time a recess 23 registers with the window 24, one of the four compartments in holder 9 registers With the bore l.

In order to ll the described pencil, the' gripper must be held upward. Then the holder is given each time a quarter of a turn by turning plunger I5 by 45, whereupon the gripper is opened, and the leads are introduced into the pencil through the open gripper.

To bring a desired lead into Writing position, the pencil is also held gripper upward and the holder is turned until the desired color appears in'the window 24. Only then the pencil is turned gripper downwards. thus making the chosen lead fall through the channel 'l into the gripper 3. The return of the lead into the holder is effected by opening the gripper the pencil being now held with the gripper upwards.

It is necessary to prevent mistakes on the part of the user. who might turn the support while a lead is held in the gripper. In fact, this would result in mixing the colors and causing several leads to be jammed in one of the grooves of the holder.

To avoid such accidental handling, a small block 25 is disposed in the interior of the sleeve I in the neighborhood of ball 20. It will be recalled that the tube 5 can occupy only three distinct positions, namely the forward position with the gripper empty and open, the rearward position with an empty and closed gripper, and nally an intermediate position (as represented) when a lead has been introduced and is held in the gripper.

4 Therefore, it is clear that the rotation must be done in the rearward position of the tube 5, and, in this position only, in which, as stated above, the gripper is empty.

By suitably disposing the small block 25, it isl easy Vto ensure that it will be in front of the spring 2| in all positions of the tube 5 except the rearward position. By preventing therraising of the spring, the block prevents the withdrawal of ball 20 from the respective compartment of the holder 9 and thus prevents rotation of the holder 9. The rotative movement of holder 9 can therefore only be effected in its rearward position, i. e. when the gripper is empty and block 25 does not block the spring 2| and ball 20.

Moreover, by making the block 25 cooperate with the longitudinal groove 26 of the tube, it is possible to omit the pin I3, the tube being thus guided longitudinally and prevented from turning.

The enlarged cross sectional view of Fig. 2, showing the sleeve I constituting the body of the pencil, the tube 5a which is somewhat modified over tube 5 of Figure l, the holder 9, the ball 20 with the at spring 2| and the small block 25, discloses another improvement intended to prevent the shearing of a lead by the untimely rotation of holder 9.

In fact, it appears from Fig. l that when holding the lead holder pencil with the gripper downwards, without opening the said gripper, a lead may fall on the backside of this latter, the holder being however not locked. By making it turn, the lead may be sheared or if it is sufficiently short it may come entirely into the channel I and can be mixed with others.

Such accident is prevented by means of a blocking key 2l supported by an elastic blade 28 and extending through the wall of tube 5a. This key is placed with a flat part 29 in front of the groove of holder 9 which is in alignment with the channel 1. A lead such as 30 is thus normally retained against any falling out of the holder.

In the neighborhood of ball 2|) and of vblock 25 is disposed a lever 3|, placed under the blade 2d, but an arm of lever 3| extends through an opening 32 in blade 28 (see Fig..3) so that this arm extends into the immediate neighborhood of the free extremity of spring 2|.

When the tube 5a is pushed forward in order to open the gripper. it takes along the spring 2 I, the blade 28 and the lever 3|. When the spring 2| and the lever 3| meet the block 25, the spring 2| immobilizes the ball 2B in the way already described, whereas the lever 3| rocks and raises the blade .28, the free end of which cornes into the position shown in dot and dash line, in which the key 2'.' is carried away from the front Vof the lead 39. The lead 30 is now free to fall into the gripper in order to be held there. In this position the block 25 keeps the ball immobilized and the lever 3| rocked.

In view of this arrangement, the handling of the described lead holder is greatly simplified and any risk of error is done away with.

It is in fact no longer necessary to hold the pencil gripper upward when changing the color by turning the holder 9. This operation can be done in any position of the pencil and it suilices, just as for all lead holder pencils to see that the gripper berdirected downwards when a lead must fall into the grinpers and upwards when the lead must return to its container.

It may be mentioned that the plunger I5 may be retained in the sleeve in any desired manner,

5 orr instance by` means of' the threaded nut 33. Accordingly;` it it is desired' to` extract thetubevS ,orV 5a and thea springt', ltsullices. toA unscrew the gripper `and to unscrew` the nut 33",. whereupon 'the entire pencil maybe taken apart.

It will also be. clear, that', if desired; they knob t1? Jxnay.- be replaced byv a stopper serving simultaneously as:eraser;`

` It isroil course, understood thaty the present lninventlon isvby no meansflim-ited te` the particular construction` shownV the* drawings, but also comprises any modifications within the scope` of the-appendedclaims.

What I. claim is:

- lf. A multifclolor lead holder pencil having a tubular body, a. tube longitudinally slidable in said body and adaptedtoreceive leads, gripper means` for gripping said leads, said tube 'being provided with an eccentrically locatedilongi-tudinal` recess, a, cylindrical holder rotatably mounted in said recess and provided with longitudinal grooves one for' each lead, said holder being adapted to cooperate with said tube for guiding a lead into said gripper means, and means responsive to the. longitudinal, movement of said tube for actuating said gripper means and causing the transfer of a lead thereto.

' 2.- A limiti-color lead holderpencil having a tubuliar body,` a tube longitudinally slidable in said body and adapted to receive leads, gripper means for gripping a lead released from said tube, said tube being provided with a longitudinal recess having its axis arranged eccentrically with regard to the axis of said tubular body, a holder rotatably mounted in said recess and provided With a plurality of compartments correspending in number to the number of different colored leads to be used in connection with said pencil, said holder being adapted to cooperate with said tube for guiding a lead into said gripper means, and manually operable means operable to effect longitudinal sliding movement of said tube for causing the latter to actuate said gripper means.

3. A multi-color lead holder pencil having a tubular body, a tube longitudinally slidable in said body and adapted to receive leads, gripper means for gripping a lead released from said tube, said tube being provided with a longitudinal recess having its axis arranged eccentrically With regard to the axis of said tubular body, a holder rotatably mounted in said recess and provided with a plurality of compartments corresponding in number to the number of different colored leads to be used in connection with said pencil, .f

said holder being adapted to cooperate with said tube for guiding a lead into said gripper means, and manually operable means operable to effect longitudinal sliding movement of said tube for causing the latter to actuate said gripper means, said manually operable means being provided with means operatively engaging said tube for eiecting rotative movement thereof.

4. A multi-color lead holder pencil having a tubular body, a tube longitudinally slidable in said body and adapted to receive a plurality of leads, gripper means for gripping any of said leads, said tube being provided with a longitudinal recess having its longitudinal axis eccentrically located with regard to the longitudinal axis of said tubular body, a holder rotatably mounted in said recess and'provided With a plurality of compartments corresponding in number to the number of leads to be used in connection with said pencil, said holder being adapted to cooperatewith sad tube forV guiding a` lead into said gripper-means, manually operable means adapted bothito'effecta rotative movement` of said tube and also to effect a longitudinal `movement. of said tube in'saidtubular body, means responsive to thelongitudlnal movement of said tube for actuating said gripper means and causing the transfer of a lead thereto, and means operable automatically and temporarily to lock said tube in a predetermined position after the tube has been rotatediby a predetermined angle.

5. A multi-color lead holder pencil comprising in combination, a tubular body, a tube longitudinally slidable in` said body and adapted to receive leads, gripper means` for gripping any of said leads, said.y tube being provided with a longitudinal recess: having its Y axis eccentrlcally located with regard to the axis of said tubular body; a lead holder rotatably mounted in said recess and being provided with a plurality of compartments, eachgof said compartments being vadapted! to receive one lead, manually operable means for eiecting longitudinal movement of said tube Within said tubular body, means operatively interconnecting said manually operable means With said tube to cause rotation of said tube inl response to` rotation of said manually operable means, blockingmeans associated with saidftube for preventingtransfer of a lead from said tube to said gripper means in a rst predetermined position of said tube, and means for making said blocking means inoperative in a second predetermined position of said tube.

6. A multi-color lead holder pencil comprising in combination, a tubular body, a tube longitudinally slidable in said body and adapted to receive leads, gripper means associated with said tube for gripping a lead released from said tube, said tube being provided with a longitudinal recess having its axis arranged eccentrically with regard to the longitudinal axis of said tubular body, a holder rotatably mounted in said recess and provided with a plurality of compartments each of which is adapted to receive one lead, means associated with said tube for rotating the same to bring any of said compartments into alignment with said gripper means, locking means operable automatically to temporarily lock said tube in a position in which any of said compartments is in alignment with said gripper means, and means operable to effect longitudinal sliding movement of said tube in a predetermined position thereof.

7. A multi-color lead holder pencil comprising in combination, a tubular body, a tube longitudinally slidable in said body and adapted to receive a plurality of leads, gripper means for gripping any of said leads, said tube being provided With a longitudinal recess having its axis eccentrically located with regard to the longitudinal axis of said tubular body, holding means rotatably mounted in said recess and provided with longitudinal grooves, one groove being adapted to receive one lead, means for effecting rotation of said tube to bring any of said grooves into alignment with said gripper means, means responsive to the longitudinal movement of said tube for actuating said gripper means, and means operable automatically for preventing rotation of said holding means when the gripper means is empty unless said tube is in its retracted position.

8. A multi-color lead holder pencil comprising in combination, a tubular body, a tube longitudinally slidable in said body and adapted to receive 7. leads, gripper means for gripping any of the leads when released from said tube, said tube being provided with a longitudinal recess having its longitudinal axis located eccentrically with regard to the longitudinal axis of said tubular body,

a holder rotatably mounted in said recess andV provided with a plurality of compartments each of which is adapted to receive one lead, means for effecting a rotative movement of said holder to bring any of said compartments into alignment with said gripper means, means operable selectively to eiect longitudinal movement ofV said tube into a forward position or into a retracted position, blocking means associated with said tube and arranged in said retracted position of said tube to prevent the passage of a lead into said gripper means, and means associated with said blocking means and adapted automatically in response to movement of said tube into said forward position to make said blocking means ineffective.

9. A multi-color leadrholder pencil comprising in combination, a tubular body, a'tubeulongtudinally slidable in said body and adapted t`eceive leads, gripper means for gripping said leads when released from said tube, said tube being provided with a longitudinal recess having its axis eccentrically located with regard to the axis of lsaid tubular body, holding means rotatably mounted in said'recess and provided with longitudinal compartments each of which" is adaptedV to yreceive one lead, means for effecting rotative movement, of said holding means to align any of said compartments with said gripper means, key

means associated with said tube and normally preventing the transfer of la lead from saidholding means to said gripper means, resilient means carrying said key means, means for selectively moving said tube into a predetermined forward position, spring means continuously urging said tubeinto a predetermined retracted position, and means responsive to the movement of said tube into said forward position for actuating said lresilient means to make said key means ineffective, thereby allowing transfer of a lead from one of said compartments tosaid gripper means vwhile said compartment is in alignment with said gripper means.k

CHARLES BERGONZO.V

REFERENCES CITED 'lhel following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

v UNITED STATES PATENTS 'Number Name Date 1,516,392 Mtbee'. NOV. 18, 1924 1,584,050`

Vail a May 11, 1926 

